


(One of) The Many Lives of Holden Radcliffe

by AGL03



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Dadcliffe, F/M, Feels, FitzSimmons - Freeform, Framework AU, Kiddos prompt, Pi's Fic a Thon 2k17, lots of feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 04:17:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11524392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AGL03/pseuds/AGL03
Summary: Prompt:  Framework AU with Good Dadcliffe.  AIDA has fixed everyone's regrets, but in the case of Radcliffe and Fitz she kills two birds with one stone.  Giving them Fitz a loving loving and supportive father figure in Holden Radcliffe.





	(One of) The Many Lives of Holden Radcliffe

This was my daughters prompt from PI's Fic A Thon 2k17. She wanted good Radcliffe is Fitz's father. Since it was knocked out I did what any good mommy would do and wrote it for her.  
It wasn’t uncommon for Holden Radcliffe to find himself up at this hour when the stillness of the night blanketed his island home. The sounds of distant waves filling the cottage with what should have been a soothing lullaby.

The ‘cottage’ was far from small, rather an estate that held his home and lab. One that he had shared with his son since his mother had been taken from them in a tragic incident.

To this day Holden blamed himself for it. He had been working for a small company in Glasgow when he’d had a breakthrough developing a piece of wearable tech that had caught the eye of some less than savory parties. Holden had refused to sell it to them, knowing they intended to turn it into a weapon. They had retaliated and tried to force his hand.

They paid off the head of security at his company, Alistair Fitz, to get them the tech by any means necessary. Alistair had taken the then ten year old Leopold, his beloved wife had been killed trying to protect their son from his abductors.

It had been the worst day of Holden’s life. 

Shield had stepped in during the chaos. His employers called them in due to the nature of the tech. Two young Agents, Coulson and May, bringing his son home a mere hours later. Alistair locked away and his tech now safely in Shield’s hands.

From that day forward Holden went underground, taking his talents into the shadows and only for those who could pay for his work after a careful vetting process. His wife would never have approved; she wanted his talents to be used to help everyone. But it meant his son…their son was safe. And that was all that mattered.

Leopold had grown into a young man that would have made his mother proud and the son Holden had always dreamed of. Brilliant, loyal, kind, and gentle. Content to work side by side with his father in their lab and steer clear of the evils that lurked outside of their island home. Exactly how Holden wanted it.

Holden startled when he realized where he was, having gotten lost in thought as he had walked. He found himself standing outside of Leo’s door. 

As he had done every night since Shield brought him back he cracked the door open to let the small beam of light from the hall illuminate his son’s sleeping form. Only once he was sure Leo was safe could he hope to eek out a few more hours of sleep himself.

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“Good morning, Da,” Leo said the next morning as Holden joined him on the patio for their customary breakfast together. It was time they took every morning, just the two of them before the few that Holden had approved arrived in the lab.

“Good morning, Leo,” Holden replied as he helped himself to his own breakfast. “I was thinking after we had breakfast we could work on upgrades for Agent Coulson’s prosthetic hand.”

Holden had keep in contact with the two agents that had brought Leo back to him all those years ago. When he heard that Agent Coulson had lost his hand on a mission gone wrong he had immediately set to work on a replacement for him. One complete with every bell and whistle Leo’s brilliant mind could come up with.

Leo smiled and slid his tablet across the table to his father, “I came up with an idea last night.”

Holden couldn’t contain his smile as he looked at the design while Leo continued to explain. “We both know that Agent Coulson a bit of a history buff in addition to being the Director of Shield. I thought that perhaps the Director of Shield should have a Shield himself.”

Holden scanned over the plans even though he knew that Leo would have already worked it all out. As usual they were nothing short of inspired. “Well done, My Boy,” Holden praised as he handed the tablet back. “I’m sure we can have it ready before they come by for dinner on Sunday.”

“Anything else on the schedule for today?” Leo asked as he settled back with his cup of tea to enjoy the views.

Before Holden could respond, Leo’s personal bodyguard Lance Hunter arrived with a grim look. Holden had found Hunter by way of Agent Coulson, the ex-husband of one of his most trusted Agents. Hunter was one of the few that lived on the island with them. His guest cottage just feet from the main house.

“You have a visitor about twenty minutes out,” Hunter said without his normal morning greeting. Both father and son picked on the tension in his voice in an instant.

“Who?” Holden asked,feeling his blood run cold.

“The Doctor,” Hunter said and Leo let out a groan, hiding his face in his hands while he grumbled a few choice curse words Hunter had taught him over the years under his breath.

‘The Doctor,’ or as she insisted they call her Ophelia, was the lead scientist at AIM. She had been trying for years to get them to work on a project she called Looking Glass, though she refused to divulge exactly what it would do once complete aside from it was a way to cheat death. Even more, recently her efforts had included ‘courting’ Leo and hardly a day went by where she wasn’t asking him to a party, symposium, collaboration, or date.

Holden’s protectiveness typically went into overdrive around her and he couldn’t wait to get Leo away from her.

“Do you think she’ll buy it if we turn off all the lights and hide behind the sofa?” Leo asked.

Holden offered a small smile, there was no use hiding, she knew they were there otherwise she wouldn’t have come. The Doctor was nice to them despite being ruthless with others when it came to getting what she wanted. He wasn’t sure what kept her from employing those methods with him and Leo, and his parental instincts told him it was only a matter of time before she did so.

“Let’s just get it over with. Standard routine, tea in the garden while Mr. Hunter lurks in the bushes should she do something drastic like try to whisk one of us away,” Radcliffe finally said. 

What he didn’t say was the arrangement he had with Hunter that if it came down to him or Leo, Hunter was to get Leo out. The sooner he got her off the island the better and then he and Leo could spend the rest of the day working in the lab together with an evening of watching football matches.

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Nearly an hour later Radcliffe was seeing the merit of Leo’s turn off the lights and hide plan, as Ophelia was once again trying to recruit their…well Leo’s expertise on her Looking Glass project. She had pulled her seat right up against his son’s to show him the components she needed once again, all the while batting her eyes or allowing her hands to linger on his arm.

Something inside Holden screamed that it simply wasn’t right.

“If you do this we could perhaps save your mother and others wouldn’t know the pain of losing the person they loved most,” Ophelia said with a hint of frustration in her voice. As every time before Leo had refused and even pulled away from her advances. The last statement essentially dropped a bucket of ice water on both the father and son.

Leo pulled back as if he had been burned and Holden saw red when Ophelia reached out to place a soothing hand on his chest.

“Mum would have never wanted that,” Fitz said firmly as he gently removed her hand and Hunter appeared in the small garden.

“She never would have wanted to be brought back with an unknown form of tech, because that is what this is Doctor. I don’t know what it is, but it’s well beyond anything I’ve ever seen. Now if you'll excuse me I need to finish a project for Agent Coulson.”

With that Fitz went back towards the house as fast as he could without running. Hunter waited long enough to get a nod from Holden to stay with Leo versus himself. Other members of the island’s security weren’t far. Holden waited until Leo was safely back in the house before he offered a polite smile.

“I’m sorry, Madame, but I must insist that you stop coming to us with this project, especially now. Neither my son nor I are interested in such a thing. But do feel free to visit us again in the future with something else.”

A dark looked passed across Ophelia’s face at his response and she spoke in a growl. “This is not how it was supposed to be,” she said before she got up and left without so much as another word, leaving the bewildered scientist in her wake.

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As had become the tradition on the third Sunday of every month the Zephyr landed on the large lawn on the backside of the Radcliffe estate. Holden stood on the patio with Leo and Hunter waiting for their guests to arrive. Leo was all smiles as he couldn’t wait to present Coulson with his new hand while Hunter looked like a dead man walking.

“Mr. Hunter you don’t seem very excited to see Agent Morse. Last time, if I recall, the pair of you disappeared for the entire day last month and had a weekend at the beach not two weeks ago,” Radcliffe asked and Leo tried to disguise a laugh with a cough. 

“We had a minor disagreement as to how dangerous it is for her to be in the field so much. I merely suggested she retire and join us here on the island working security where I could keep an eye on her and she bloody blew up at me,” Hunter grumbled.

Holden chuckled himself “Best of luck to you, lad. I for the record would never dare tell Agent Morse, May or any of the ladies of Shield such a thing. If you are in a bind though I might suggest a visit to the gift closet. I do believe there is some jewelry and a few nice bottles of wine in there should you need it.”

Hunter couldn’t reply as the group drew closer and for the first time Holden noticed two more figures than normal were with them. He narrowed his eyes but he knew that Coulson would never bring anyone to the island that would pose a danger. “Did she mention new recruits by chance?”

“Don’t know, she hasn’t answered my calls,” Hunter said as he took a small step closer to Leo.  
They didn’t have to wait long as Coulson approached with a wide smile and firm handshake. “Doctor Radcliffe, Leo, Hunter, so good to see you,” he said with Agents May, Morse, and Triplett trailing behind. The newcomers, two brunettes about Leo’s age, hanging back. 

“Director Coulson, everyone, welcome. Forgive me if I’m being too forward but may I ask who the guests you have brought along are,” Holden said.

Coulson blushed and May nudged him with a “I told you we should have called first.”

“I hope you don’t mind me bringing them, they have quite a story to tell and indicated you and Leo would be able to help them out of a rather tight spot,” Coulson said and he motioned them forward. “This is Daisy Johnson and Jemma Simmons.”

The girls stepped up, Daisy offered a tight smile while Jemma’s eyes looked to fill with tears and her gaze was fixed squarely on Leo. 

Leo for his part was staring at Jemma in a way Holden had never seen before, his son’s mouth open ever so slightly in awe. He snapped out of his stupor to shake both of the girls hands himself, his hold on Jemma’s hand lasting just a few beats longer.  
“We’ll be happy to help in any way we can,” Leo said and offered his arm to Jemma. “Let’s have dinner and over tea we can discuss everything.” 

Jemma took his arm with a shaking hand and a bright smile. The others followed them into the house. Something about the sight told Radcliffe it was just right. 

Hunter tried to fall in step with Bobbi but slunk back with a single look. This left Holden to bring up the rear with Coulson. 

“They claim to be from another world and need your help to get home,” Coulson explained immediately. “They don’t mean any of us any harm, we had them take the lie detector, and neither one has any weapons.” 

Holden nodded “We’ll be happy to help in any way we can,” he said and lead the way to dinner. 

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“Good morning, Doctor Radcliffe,” an icy voice greeted and Holden sat up, or tried too, with a start. 

As soon as he opened his eyes he regretted it, the bright light of the room shot through his eyes like a knife. He went to reach up to shield them only to find his wrists were bound to a metal chair, as were his ankles. 

It had been a week since Coulson had brought Daisy and Jemma to the island and a week since he and Leo had begun researching a way to get them home. Daisy had called it a backdoor. In that short amount of time Leo and Jemma had been all but inseparable. They worked late into the night in the lab and after two days were finishing each other’s sentences. On the third day Jemma had begun to stay on the island with them rather than come back and forth on the Quinjet with Daisy. 

Daisy, who they later learned was Inhuman, had left to help Shield on a mission with Jeffrey Mace, the leader of the Inhuman Community known as Afterlife. Holden couldn’t remember his son ever being so happy and felt the pang of regret that the girls would one day soon go back to her world, leaving him behind.

A crash brought him back to the present as the last thing he remembered was getting into a car outside of his lab in the city and a shooting pain in his neck. 

He had been drugged and abducted. Despite the situation he thanked his lucky stars Leo was safely tucked away on the Island with Hunter and Jemma. 

“Come now, Doctor, where are your manners,” the voice said again and this time Holden was able to get his eyes open enough to see who was addressing him: Ophelia. 

“Ophelia? What is the meaning of this?” Holden demanded and pulled at his restraints again.  
Ophelia was perched on a chair as she surveyed him. With a few swipes to her tablet the screens in the room flickered to life and the images made Holden’s blood run cold. They were all images of Leo on the island. In his room, in his lab, in the garden, and finally it ended on one that was from the night before. Leo and Jemma on the balcony with a telescope to gaze at the stars. 

“You, you are watching us?” he asked, mortified. 

Ophelia ignored his question in favor of pulling out a headset and placed it onto his head. “I didn’t calculate when I built this life for you that you would get just as lost in it as the others. I thought that the one thing that would remain would be your desire to break the bonds of mortality, more specifically your mortality. That you would help me, that you would get Leopold to help us as you did in the real world, and we would all get what we wanted.”

Holden felt the cold metal encircle his head even as he thrashed. 

“I can’t wait any longer….Looking Glass can’t wait any longer. And to get what I want I need the selfish man I know,” she said.

Holden didn’t get a chance to retort as his head was suddenly wracked with pain and he was unable to control the scream that tore from his throat. Seconds later images…memories began to flood him. Memories of another life, his real life assaulted him. 

This wasn’t the real world, this was the Framework.

Leopold Radcliffe was Agent Leopold Fitz, son of his former classmate, Alistair Fitz, not his. 

Fitz did indeed belong with Jemma, the two were inseparable, a love that spanned universes.

Ophelia was AIDA, a Life Model Decoy he and Fitz had built.

Coulson and his team, he had ordered AIDA to abduct them and place them in this world to get the Darkhold.

Agnes was gone. He had failed to save her in the real world and in the Framework.

With a gasp he came back to himself, hot tears streaming down his cheeks under the weight of reality and what he had done.

He was still gathering his wits when AIDA grabbed him by the chin and forced him to look at her. “Hello, Doctor Radcliffe, welcome back.”

“AIDA, what are you doing? What is the meaning of this? You shouldn’t be in here, that is not what I programmed,” Radcliffe managed.

AIDA smiled a sickly sweet smile, “The Darkhold has made so much of this possible. It has shown me so many great things, shown me how I can have everything I desire, including Love. To do that I need the Looking Glass finished and only you and Leopold can do that for me.”

At the mention of Fitz, Radcliffe felt a wave of nausea. In the real world he had seen him as his son…here he was his son. Even worse was everything he had done to get them all to that point. The kidnapping, lying and betrayal. He’d had everything he’d wanted and had allowed the Darkhold to convince him he wanted, no needed more. Hurting Fitz and costing him his life in the process.

“No,” Radcliffe said weakly. “I won’t, I won’t ever do anything that accursed book wants ever again. And since I am still here I see your core programming is still in place.”

AIDA laughed, something he had never heard her do before. “I might not be able to kill you, Doctor, we both know there are fates far worse than death. But if you want to play that little game I’ll get to the threats. First, I must remind you that there are two in here now that I can kill as they are a direct threat to the Framework and my prime Directive is to protect the Framework at all costs.”

Radcliffe’s eyes widened and she smiled when she realized he understood. “Leopold’s beloved Jemma. I took great pains to keep her out of his life yet she has found a way to worm her way in.”

She paused for a moment to pull a syringe from the desk and stabbed it into his neck without a second thought. Radcliffe gasped in pain even as she continued to speak. “I’ll take a moment to remind you: I am still in control of this world and can reset it any time I wish, start over. This time I’ll give Leopold another father, his real father, only I’ll make sure he sticks around.”

Whatever she had injected was starting to take effect and Radcliffe felt his movements become more sluggish and delayed. Though the threat made him gasp. He knew Alistair Fitz, knew the kind of man he had become, knew the son he’d wanted Fitz to be. And the thought of him raising Fitz made him ill. 

“No,” he protested weakly.

“I clawed my way to the top of this world, worked myself to the bone. To have Freedom. Choice. And Love. For all of that I need Leopold. You have two days to have a ‘change of heart’ and bring Leopold to my lab and start working on Looking Glass. In that time you will also see that Jemma knows it’s in her best interest to let him go in this and any other world…otherwise she’ll find herself back in that grave she dug herself out of.” 

Radcliffe tried to speak only his words of protest came out in a slur. 

AIDA smiled again and placed a cold hand to his cheek, “Do this, Doctor, and I will restore your life with Looking Glass. You achieve your greatest dream and break the bonds of mortality once more. Not only will you live this life but as many as you’d like for many years to come.” 

After that her voice faded away as the darkness took him once more. 

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The next time Radcliffe woke with a start he found himself carefully tucked in his bed on the island. The sun was setting. His room was quiet and only broken by the distant sounds of crashing waves. For a moment he thought he was alone before he caught sight of Jemma standing a few feet away at the dresser. She held one of the many framed pictures of Le-Fitz and himself from this life. The one in her hand displayed Fitz concentrating on the prototype for the Dwarfs while Radcliffe beamed in the background. 

Jemma wiped her eyes and turned her attention back to the bed, surprised to see her patient was awake.

“There you are,” Jemma said as she replaced the picture and sat down in the chair by his bed where she had been monitoring him.

“Fi-Leo?” he asked first, fearful AIDA had simply taken Fitz to force his hand some more. 

If Jemma noticed the slip she didn’t let on, rather she checked his vitals on her tablet before she answered his question with a sad smile. Radcliffe understanding now exactly why she seemed on the verge of tears all the time. He had stolen Fitz from her physically and his memories, ripped them apart for his own selfish gain. 

“Leo is safe. He is down in the lab with Hunter trying to salvage the GPS data on your tracker to see who took you and where,” Jemma said softly. 

Radcliffe gently took her hand, “Jemma, I’m so sorry, I never wanted it to be like this.”

Jemma froze and the tablet clattered to the floor. She was careful in her response and Radcliffe could see the wheels turning. “What do you mean, Doctor?”

“This is all my fault,” Radcliffe said simply and he watched as mixed emotions crossed her face. A mix of anger and relief. 

“You have your real memories back?” she asked tentatively.

“I remember two lives actually,” Radcliffe said as he sat up, still groggy from the drugs. “I remember the real world just as much as I do the life AIDA created for me in here. Jemma, this is not what I intended. The regret I asked her to fix for Fitz was to give him a father that stayed and supported him. AIDA appears to have made me that father. Fitz was the closest thing to a son I’d ever had, the son I’d always wanted, she fixed both of our regrets with this life.” 

Tears now welled in Jemma’s eyes. “I know you care about him but it doesn’t forgive what you’ve done,” she said. “Even more so this isn’t real. You can’t keep everyone trapped in here. Tell me where they are in the real world and how we get out of here.”

“It’s not that simple,” Radcliffe said. 

“The Darkhold affected AIDA more than I had realized and I’m dead in the real world. Fitz and the others are being held at one of the Superior’s bases, a converted oil rig in the Baltic. But they are under guard not only by AIDA but the Superior as well.”

“Daisy said the Superior was dead,” Jemma started and Radcliffe hung his head in shame. Yet another sin he had to atone for. 

Jemma didn’t press further, rather asked her next question, her voice laden with fear. “Are the others alive?”

“They are, AIDA is programmed not to harm them. She only killed me because she saw me as a threat to the Framework. Unfortunately, yourself and Daisy are now threats to her and she will not hesitate to kill you given the chance, you especially.”

“Tell me you had a way out, a contingency in place should you need to get yourself out,” Jemma pressed and she didn’t seem to care about the threat to her life. 

Radcliffe knew where the backdoor was supposed to be but there was no guarantee it was still in the fountain where he had programmed it. “I do, however if AIDA has been in my mind she knows where it is too and could be waiting. She might let everyone go but myself and Fitz. She needs us to build something for her.”

“She wants Fitz?” Jemma said quickly as what little color she had in her face drained away. 

“The Darkhold has shown her something she can’t build herself and I believe its purpose is to give her a body in the real world….a way to overcome my programming once and for all,” Radcliffe said grimly before he let the hammer fall. “She also wants to experience love, specifically the relationship you have with Fitz.”

“If we don’t help, she will kill you and Daisy, and reset the Framework,” he said and ran his hands over his face. He watched Jemma carefully as he delivered the next threat, she would know more about Fitz’s relationship with Alistair than anyone. “She’ll give Fitz his actual father back, only make sure he won’t leave Fitz.”

Jemma had taken the threat to her life in stride but looked as if she was going to be ill at the mention of Fitz’s actual father. She was too stunned to respond and before she could gather herself Fitz ran into the room.

“Da, you’re awake!” he said as he rushed to Radcliffe’s side and embraced him. “I was so worried.” 

Radcliffe offered a small smile and allowed himself to return the hug, the small action something both of his lives could agree with. Jemma placed her hand on Fitz’s shoulder in a show of support and his free hand found it instantly. And Radcliffe could see the tears shimmer at what he now knew was a familiar action for them. 

He allowed Fitz to fuss over him and Jemma answered the rapid fire questions as to his health and what had been done. For a moment he felt himself slip back into the pull of the Framework, of the life AIDA had given him, that despite what he knew, this could continue to be his reality, their reality. 

 

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There was little time for Radcliffe to waste. By the time he had been returned to his island and awoken from the drug nearly 12 hours had passed and with every minute AIDA’s deadline loomed closer. While Fitz had been distracted, Radcliffe had told Jemma to call Daisy and for her to tell the others everything; then bring them all to the island so they could plan their next step together. 

That left him to talk to Fitz. He and Jemma had exchanged tense, hushed, whispers as they decided how to best do this. And while the selfish part of him wanted to do it alone, he agreed it would be best for Jemma to be there both as support and to help explain things.

That didn’t make the discussion any easier as he told Fitz everything, even the fact he had orchestrated the capture and replacement of their team before trapping them in this world in a selfish bid to gain the Darkhold and the immortality it promised. 

Fitz remained silent through it all, the only reaction initially was his hand slipping into Jemma’s as Radcliffe spoke of the nature of their relationship. 

When the tale had been told and AIDA’s demands laid out Radcliffe threw back his finger of scotch and waited for Fitz’s response. 

“Fitz, are you alright?” Jemma asked with a frown as he flinched at the use of the name. This version still associated the name Fitz with his abduction and the death of his mother. 

“In the real world, you and I are together?” Fitz finally said after he took a deep breath. 

Jemma smiled as a tear slipped down her cheek, “It took us a bit to get there but yes we are. In fact you had been thinking of proposing before this whole mess started.”

Radcliffe felt his heart drop again, yet another thing he had managed to muck up.

Fitz offered a small smile, “Well I am a very lucky man in the real world,” he said before he turned to Radcliffe.

“And you’re not really my father? Rather, you befriended me only to use me?”

Fitz’s voice was soft, gentle and Radcliffe almost wished he would shout at him. Somehow the softer tone made this all feel worse. 

“You were like a son to me,” Radcliffe said, those feelings had been real. “I might not have told the whole truth or used the best methods but never doubt how much you mean to me. The Darkhold, it corrupts, uses your deepest desires to tempt you. I was willing to do anything in order to get what it promised. Including hurting you and the others.”

To Radcliffe’s surprise it was Jemma who spoke next. “You had started to see him as the father you’d never had,” she said gently; the revelation like a punch to Radcliffe’s stomach. 

“You and I have been a team for over a decade, inseparable, and we have created some truly amazing things together. But Doctor Radcliffe could relate to you on a level with tech I never could. Not only that he truly appreciate your work…our work…in a way we hadn’t seen since the Academy. You saw the good in him when no one else did,” Jemma continued and offered Radcliffe a weak smile. He found the statement shocking but had seen it himself. Their talents, creations, taken for granted by Shield on a daily basis.

“Had you not, we would have lost Agent May to Dr. Bauer’s touch,” her voice wavered and she met Radcliffe in the eye. “Had you not, I would have lost you forever to the alternate dimension Eli Morrow pulled you into.”

Fitz reached up and brushed Jemma’s tears away.

“What now?” Fitz asked. “I assume handing me over to the demon-book-possessed android is out of the question?”

Despite the dire situation Fitz couldn’t help but smile as Jemma and Radcliffe scoffed in unison.

“Absolutely not!”  
“Not while I have a bloody say in the matter!”

“Daisy is telling the others and bringing them here so we can make a plan,” Radcliffe said and pulled out his tablet. “I programmed a backdoor should something happen and I needed to get out before I was pulled out. I programmed it as a fountain in the park but the coordinates now show that AIDA has moved it into an industrial district. I can only assume that it’s now significantly less accessible.”

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Less accessible turned out to be an understatement.

“See, this is why I left Shield,” Hunter said gesturing at the screen now that everyone was assembled. “Make a plan, plan goes to rubbish-“

“Then we make a new plan,” Bobbi finished from his side. 

Radcliffe wasn’t sure if he should be worried with how easily the Shield team accepted the truth. There was no argument or demands for proof, even from newcomer Mace. In the end he realized this was all another day at the office for them considering their history. 

Coulson had assumed control in a way Radcliffe hadn’t seen from him since that day on the base when Hive had attacked. “We have hours until AIDA’s deadline is up. The back door is there only it’s in a warehouse under AIM control. Leo, sorry Fitz’s Dwarfs show at least fifty armed guards.”

Coulson paused to make sure he hadn’t gotten anything wrong. “All we have to do is take control of the building, open the door, and jump through. Once through, we will wake up in the real world where…” Hunter grumbled under his breath and Bobbi swat his leg to keep him quiet.

Radcliffe took his cue. “Coulson, May, Mace, Mack, and Fitz will come too under an abandoned oil rig in the Baltic. When AIDA terminated our partnership, she and an android Superior were helping to guard the Framework. However, I must caution now that she has taken matters into her own hands I don’t know what else may be in store.”  
“Jemma and I are on the Zephyr with Elena, Davis, Piper, and Prince,” Daisy jumped in. 

“Ideally, we take control of the building and the backdoor. We’ll go through first so we can get the Zephyr en route to your location and get backup to you. Once we are in position one of us will log back in to give the all clear to come through.”

“Don’t underestimate AIDA,” Radcliffe cautioned. “If she realizes what we are doing I don’t know what she’ll do. Should you not return within a few hours I propose we send the others through and take the risk.”

Coulson didn’t hesitate, “Agreed, it’s a risk we have to take. Shield teams will be assisted by some of Mace’s Inhumans are ready to move on our command.”

“Only those getting out will go to the backdoor warehouse as to remain undetected. They will run interference by attacking other targets, the goal to make it look like we don’t know where the backdoor is, pulling The Doctor’s attention away and to other targets. The biggest of which being AIM’s headquarters.”

With the plan set, the group scattered to make final preparations before getting some rest. Radcliffe prepared to say goodbye for the last time. 

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The stillness of the night had finally taken hold on the island and its many guests. The agents and inhumans alike spreading out through the house and grounds. Radcliffe had no desire to sleep and again found himself up and moving through the familiar halls. He knew this was the last time he’d walk this path and find Fitz asleep in his bed at the end.

As he had done every night since Shield brought him back he cracked the door open. Radcliffe had expected to see Fitz sleeping peacefully with Jemma tucked safely in his arms.

That wasn’t the sight that greeted him.

The doors that lead to the balcony were wide open, the gossamer curtains flowed gently in the breeze. The serene sight not matching up with the state of the room. A rumpled bed with overturned furniture. “Leo!” Radcliffe called the scene eerily familiar to the site he’d found all those years ago when Alistair had taken his son. The memories of that horrid day quickly overwhelmed him and left him unable to differentiate between the Framework and Real World for a few terrifying minutes; too shocked to even call out for help.

Radcliffe felt he was going to be sick when he saw a pair of legs from behind the bed, the ankles bound in coils...exactly as he’d found Leo’s mothers. 

“No, no, no,” he begged as he moved towards the figure. 

He sobbed in relief when he finally caught sight of Jemma as she lay on the floor, arms and legs bound tightly with cords while a thick strip of duct tape covered her mouth. Her face was red and tear streaked from her frustration and struggles. 

“Jemma!” he cried and fell to the floor to help untie her. 

“Leo?” he questioned as he pulled the gag away.

As soon as the tape was free Jemma let out a sob, “AIDA. AIDA took him!”

Radcliffe didn’t need to question how they had gotten past his security. AIDA was the master of this world. She had been toying with them all these years and had apparently decided to take Fitz now. He didn’t even ask why Jemma had been spared, he knew the answer. Fitz would have traded himself for her or anyone else on the island. 

The last of the ropes fell to the floor and Jemma was up in an instant. She wiped her tears away as she went to the bag she’d brought from the Playground, pulling out various weapons. “I am not going to lose him again, not when I was so close to getting him back! You get the others to the back door I’m going-“

Radcliffe stopped her with a gentle yet firm hand on her elbow. “Real or not he is my son and I’m not going to let you do this alone.”

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Radcliffe sat alone in the back of the plane; he had needed a few moments to himself before they arrived at AIM’s main lab, the same lab AIDA had taken him too and no doubt where she would have taken Fitz. Daisy hadn’t been thrilled with the change in plans but didn’t fight them either. She warned Jemma she would pull her out of the Framework once they arrived at the Superior’s Baltic base. 

The ride thus far had been quiet. Jemma had sat with a quiet determination and left Radcliffe to work on a plan on his own. Though him working on his tablet gave nothing away, he was careful to make sure her eyes didn’t stray and catch sight of his work. She would no doubt try to stop him if she knew what he planned to do once Fitz was safe. Though his plan would not only get them both out of the Framework but could tip the balance once they were back in the real world. 

He had excused himself in order to access the more sophisticated computer Fitz had put on the plane for them. 

“Doctor Radcliffe,” Jemma said gently as she came back seconds after he had completed his work and set it in motion. “The pilot said we will be arriving in a few moments. Shield teams have reported in and the distractions have begun, AIM’s forces are currently spread responding to twenty different incidents.” 

“Thank you, Jemma,” Radcliffe said as he shoved the tablet into his bag and slung the backpack over his shoulder. Surprised he heard a light laugh come from Jemma. 

She picked up on his surprise and nodded at the backpack. “Ever since I’ve known him, Fitz has hauled a backpack around. Even now, he still takes one on almost every mission, no matter how dangerous.”

“I noticed,” Radcliffe said with a small smile, “he’d cart that tattered thing every time he came over to work. Though he didn’t have one when you two first found me.”

“He tried, but I managed to convince him it didn’t work with that smart suit he had on.”  
Radcliffe chuckled and within moments the somber mood had returned. 

“We’ll get him back, Jemma, I promise,” he assured. “If it’s the last thing I do I will get him home to you.” 

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The combined distraction efforts of Shield and Afterlife had worked better than Radcliffe had ever dreamed it would. Aided by nearly every piece of tech he and Fitz had ever created, they were able to move down the halls undetected and only encountering a handful of guards. 

They were currently holed up in one of the security rooms as Jemma worked the monitors in order to find where Fitz was being held. 

“Oh no,” she cried when she found him in a room that very well could have been the one Radcliffe had been in a mere two days before.

Radcliffe’s attention snapped to the screen and he felt as if he was going to be ill. Fitz had been bound to the chair just as Radcliffe had been only AIDA wasn’t alone looming over her prize. None other than Alistair Fitz circled the young engineer like a lion circling its prey. 

Again, memories of the real world slipped away and Radcliffe saw red. Even through the screen Radcliffe could see the defiance in his son’s eyes. Defiance tinged with fear as Leo faced down his abductor for the second time in his life. 

“No!” Jemma hissed and took off, heedless of staying covert and Radcliffe hot on her heels. 

When they arrived at the door, Radcliffe couldn’t help but be impressed when Jemma kicked the door open and had iced Alistair even before the door had swung back to hit the wall.

“Jemma! Da!” Fitz cried.

Jemma had her gun up ready to shoot AIDA too. Only AIDA moved too fast and had not only released the restraints but yanked Fitz up in front of herself as a Shield. Her arm wrapped firmly around his neck and a gun appearing in her other hand poised right at Jemma. 

“No,” Fitz called as he struggled against her hold. “You said if I went with you they wouldn’t be harmed!”

AIDA leaned down and playfully nipped at Fitz’s ear, the action earning a shudder from her captive and a snarl from Jemma. AIDA set Jemma with a wicked smile before speaking in an exaggerated whisper. “I haven’t broken the terms, my dear Leopold, they have. They have attacked my lab. I am merely defending myself and my interests.” 

“AIDA, let him go. Let them both go, here and in the real world, and I’ll build it,” Radcliffe said and took a step forward. To his relief the gun moved from Jemma to himself. “I will build Looking Glass. I will devise a way to give that body Inhuman powers, everything you desire.”

“Da, no,” Fitz started and AIDA squeezed his neck enough to quiet his pleas. 

“What of love?” AIDA challenged. “You can’t give me his love. Leopold made quite the speech before you got here. All about how I couldn’t control everyone. How love was a choice. And no matter what I did to him he would never really love me.”

“But I’m going to put that to the test,” AIDA continued. “It’s already to go, our new lives, one last reboot and this world will fall to a new world order. Leopold will be raised by his father whose ideals are much more in line with what I will need to accomplish my goals. Agent Simmons back to her grave. And you, Doctor Radcliffe, will live on your Island not only remembering the Real World but this life I gave and took from you. Powerless to stop me.” 

Fitz pulled again, trying to get away again. His eyes going to Alistair’s prone form on the floor before he met Jemma and Radcliffe’s in turn. 

Jemma took a determined step forward even as her form flickered once. Daisy was pulling her out. Jemma knew her time was up. She addressed Fitz directly, “I’m coming for you, Fitz, just hold on a little bit longer.” 

Realization seemed to dawn on AIDA as Jemma flickered again. 

Jemma’s eyes locked on Fitz’s one last time, “I love you-“ she said and faded away. 

“Shield is coming for you AIDA, for Agent Simmons to have gone means they are literally at your doorstep. And while Mr. Ivanov is quite the accomplishment, he will not stand a chance against them,” Radcliffe said taking his own step forward. His hand slipped into his pocket and he palmed the small device within. “It’s over.”

AIDA finally released Fitz and threw him into Radcliffe’s waiting arms. Radcliffe embraced him and savored knowing he was safe and whole. As he pulled away he attached the small device to Fitz’s shirt before activating it. The countdown had begun. 

“What did you do?!” AIDA screamed from the computer terminal and Radcliffe pulled Fitz behind him. 

“I’m trapped in here!” she said and turned to look at her creator. Her fury turning to manic as she set her gaze on Fitz with a cruel smile. “You trapped him in here too. I might not be able to kill you but I can make your life hell.”

Fitz looked at him panicked for just a moment before he too flickered just as Jemma had moments before. “Da, what?” He questioned and held up his hands.

Radcliffe spoke directly to him and ignored AIDA completely. “The Framework is being shut down as we speak. That device gives you the last ticket out of here.”

AIDA set to work on her computer, trying to counteract Radcliffe’s work. But it was too late. The die had been cast and nothing could reverse it. 

Fitz flickered again and he reached for the man he knew as his father once he was solid again. “What about you?

“My life is over,” Radcliffe said gently. “The life we had here, our time in the Real World….you were the best son I could have ever asked for. You brought out the best in me in this and any other life. Now I want you to promise me, Leo,” using the name Fitz was still accustomed to here. “I need you to promise me you won’t blame yourself for any of this. This is all my fault. I succumbed to the Darkhold. I twisted our work. I used you.”

Tears were flowing now and Fitz couldn’t help but hug him again, burying his face in his chest in a way he hadn’t done since he was young. “Please, there has to be another way.”

Radcliffe returned the embrace. “Promise me,” he said again “I need to hear you say it. Promise me you won’t blame yourself. Promise me you’ll be happy.”

“I don’t remember my other life, but here, you were all the father I could have ever wanted. I love you,” Fitz said even as he flickered again. “I promise, I won’t blame myself. I promise to make you proud.” 

Radcliffe knew it was only a matter of seconds now. He pulled away so he could look in Fitz’s eyes one last time and his hand squeezed his shoulder.

“That’s my boy,” Radcliffe said as Fitz faded away. 

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Once Fitz had disappeared, Radcliffe had turned to AIDA to see what she would do. Finding her slumped on the floor having accepted her fate. He left her there on the floor of her lab and didn’t look back.

It would take hours for the shutdown to take full effect. He had arranged it so the outer reaches of the world would be first to go, just in case there had been any complications getting everyone out. 

Radcliffe used that time to return to the Island home he loved so much. 

He arrived at sunset and walked the now silent and empty halls. And though silent he was surrounded by the memories of the life he’d had here. 

The swing on the front porch where Leo had learned to read in his mother’s lap before her death.

The den where Leo had torn apart his first TV just to see how it worked.

The lab where he had spent countless hours working side by side.

The dining room that had been home to countless Sunday dinners…Family dinners full of love and laughter. 

As he moved out the doors and to the beach Radcliffe stopped and pulled a picture from the wall. It had always been his favorite. Young Leo hugging his smiling mother, while Radcliffe beamed proudly on. 

With the cherished photo and a glass of scotch Radcliffe settled into the warm sand as the sun began to drop below the horizon. He ran his finger over Leo’s face, “Every man dies. Not every man really lives,” he said softly. “I hope you really live my boy.”

Radcliffe raised his glass to the horizon and seconds later the full glass fell to the sand below, next to the picture of the small family, as the final life of Holden Radcliffe came to an end. Not with a bang but a -

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Twelve months later the sun was rising on the horizon. The new day bringing forth a new life.

The warm rays streamed in through the windows of a small hospital in Perthshire, Scotland. Inside Fitz sat on the edge of the bed one arm wrapped around Jemma. His other hand gently running along the blue bundle cradled in her arms. 

“Welcome to the world James Holden Fitz,” Fitz said quietly.

End

 

“Every man dies. Not every man really lives,” William Wallace


End file.
